Here’s a closer look at Sherri’s life off the court SHERRI COALE AND
ANDLER HER DAUGHTER, CH
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you? I was the state typing champion when I was in high school.
difficult time balancing their own competitive spirit and helping foster good attitudes in their children.
What are you passionate about? Jesus, people, reading and writing.
“Everybody has to remember that participation in sports is for the purpose of enjoyment and for the purpose of building relationships,” Sherri said. “It’s for personal growth. It’s about so much more than winning or scoring points or being the person that’s in the newspaper. And that gets shifted real quickly and real easily sometimes. I think kids need an opportunity to choose what they love, and I think sports is a great vehicle.”
How has motherhood changed you? Motherhood makes you more aware. The lens you look at the world through takes on a different turn. How do you banish stress? Exercise. What inspires you? Passtionate people. What is on your wish list? Healthy athletes. Of what are you most proud? My children. What motivates you? An intrinsic desire to be the best I can be. How do you find balance in your life? By remembering why I do what I do. Advice for other moms? Love your kids and let lots of other people love them, too. Favorite quote about motherhood? “The decision to have a child is the decision to forever have your heart go walking around outside your body.” Sherri’s Tips for Sports Parenting As a parent to athletes and a college coach, Sherri Coale has a unique perspective on sports parenting. Regardless of if your kids are still in Little League or competing on the collegiate level, parents often have a
Sherri said that while she is the first person to say sports are a great way to teach valuable life lessons and present unique opportunities to youth, she doesn’t believe in forcing kids to participate in a sport if they’re not interested. If your kids are interested and develop a talent for the sport, she reminds parents to take a step back and look at all the other terrific abilities and experiences kids have. “I always tell the parents of my freshmen, ‘when you call your daughter ask her about anything and everything but basketball. Ask her about the food in the cafeteria, ask her if there are any cute guys in her math class, ask her if she can find a place to park, ask her how the weather’s been, but don’t ask how practice went because she is so much more than a basketball player and sometimes in all of our human prater, our desire for great things to happen to our children and it’s all well-intentioned, but we can tend to make them feel like their participation in sport is what defines them and it never is.’”
METROFAMILY MAGAZINE
19
OCTOBER 2014